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Godlike Talent (LORE)
All powers of a Godlike Talent are a psychic extension of their mind over matter. When a Godlike Talent dies, they revert to their physical human form, even if they have alternate forms (such as insubstantial forms or shapeshifting). Talents have no discernible features, marks, or anatomical differences that set them apart from normal humans. The miraculous powers of Talents do not seem to affect things that they cannot perceive, and also seem to deactivate when the Talent is asleep or unconscious (with certain exceptions... basically, any power with a Permanent duration). Because Talent powers are an extension of their mind, they seem to be linked to morale, self-confidence, and willpower. Depression, insanity, or simply just "feeling good" when waking up in the morning all have profound effects on a Talent's powers. For some unknown reason, a Talent is able to detect another Talent simply by looking at them when they are using powers (triggers vary between individual Talents, from "viewing an aura" to a "gut feeling"). In addition, no matter what kind of powers a Talent possesses, they can interfere with the powers of other Talents in a contest of Wills. In the scope of LORE (Layflat One Roll Engine), a Godlike Talent is a Wild Talents character that adheres to the Godlike rules for powers. Specifically, nearly all Miracles have the Willpower Bid flaw (with a -1 cost as usual). Certain powers are exceptions (for example, powers that require the Willpower Cost flaw under Wild Talents rules, Willpower Battery, and Dud powers). In addition, Miracles are subject to certain limitations, as listed in Godlike, p 37: * Definitive Precognition - The ability to see an up-to-the-minute accurate picture of the future does not, as far as is known, exist in the world of Godlike. Precognitives often only see unclear or static images (or have obscure dreams or ideas which they must then interpret) that change dependent on their reaction to the vision. The more the precog talks about the vision, the more the outcome of the event changes from the vision. Also, these visions are often just plain wrong. * Mind Control - Absolute Mind Control does not exist in Godlike, although "Puppets", "Possession", and other similar powers exist. * Talent Absorption or Imitation - Although some Talents can emulate a wide variety of powers (the Variable extra), there are no powers in Godlike which directly copy or absorb another Talent's powers. This doesn't mean that all Talent powers are unique. For example, many Talents have the ability to fly, even if that is a power which is emulated by an unusual movement ability rather than true Flight like Der Flieger. * Talent Creation Powers - There has never been a Talent who can make a normal human into a Talent. In certain aboriginal cultures, Talent powers have been known to leap from one person to another. * Talent Detection Powers - All Talents can detect other Talents when powers are being used, as long as they can SEE the Talent using the power. However, a long range detection ability (beyond line of sight) or abilities that can detect Talents who are not using their powers does not exist. * Telepathy - True two-way Telepathy does not exist. One-way messages can be implanted into someone's mind, but the ability to read another person's mind directly cannot be done. Hypersense and certain hyperskills can give the illusion of mind reading, but these abilities simply read "tells", body language, or subtext of conversations. * Time Travel - Time Travel does exist in the world of Godlike, but not in any useful capacity. Talents do disappear and seemingly interact with the past. The only problem is this: Whatever changes or contact with the past they make does not affect the future at all, and intelligence gained in the past is often wrong. People spoken to in the past by the Talent will not remember doing so when the Talent returns to the present. This leads analysts to believe that the power may do nothing more than generate a complex illusion of the "past." Nevertheless, it can't be denied that the Talents go somewhere when they "time travel". * Transmutation - By the very nature of the Talent psychic powers, Transmutations do not work permanently (although they can be given the Permanent extra when indicating an "always on" transformation). They often stop working when out of line of sight to the Talent, and any Talent can identify a transmuted/transformed object and revert it to its original form without a die roll for the cost of a Willpower point. Even Permanent transmutations stop working when a Talent dies. * True Super-Science - So-called "Goldberg Science" powers allow Talents to create anachronistic technology that are centuries ahead of their time. However, these "devices" are simply a Focus for the Talent's power. Once they leave the Talent's line of sight (or possibly touch), they fail to operate. When the Talent dies, the device ceases to function forever. Still, this allows some Talents to have World War II Segways and Hovercars. * Unlimited Healing Powers - Powers that heal humans, animals, and plants do exist, but to use them on humans, they must be conscious and willing. = Roleplaying Concepts = The term "Talent" appeared in the lexicon on February 14, 1940. It was coined by the Science reporter of the New York Times, a man named Stephen J. Whelan. In his research about paranormal phenomena (and parahumans), he came across a book named "Wild Talents" written by Charles Foy Fort (note: This is an actual book, written in 1932). Whelan had this to say about Fort's writing: "If the powers reflected in Fort's book are called 'Wild Talents', I suppose what we are seeing now could be called 'Talents'. Perhaps this is not an example of a whole new array of human capabilities, but simply the honing of some inherent and secret human skill which is just now coming to light." The scientific community calls Talents as "parahumans", while the press tends to add the "Super" prefix to Talent abilities ("Super-woman Kills German Soldiers!"). Alternate names depend on country. The French call their Talents "Surhomme", while the British sometimes call their Talents "The Few" (in reference to Churchill's famous speech about the pilots of the Battle of Britain: "Rarely has so much been owed by so many, to so few"). Indian Talents are called Viddyharas ("Learned Ones"), Jewish Talents are called "Nephilim", and Russian Talents are called "Severch Loodi". Germans, the first country with known Talents, called their Talents the "Übermenschen" (after the Nietzschean ideal of Super-men). The Japanese lacked many Talents during the War, but called the few Talents that they had "Gaki" ("Hungry Ghost"). Italian Talents are called "Custodes" ("Guardians").